What's New on Campus? Artisan Pizza and Organic Mexican Food, to Start

Franklin & Marshall College students will have three new places to dine this fall. The eateries, one on campus and two on Harrisburg Avenue, are among many changes students will find on and around campus this year.

Sabrosa Mexican Grill and Oka Japanese Restaurant are moving into College Row on Harrisburg Avenue. The restaurants are anticipated to open sometime during the fall semester, said Allison Fisher of Campus Crossings-College Row, the property management company.

Starting Sept. 16, Vocelli's campus delivery hours will be available 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Vocelli also offers catering, from small events to large groups.

In addition to dining changes, students this year have available to them two new structures on campus as they start the 2013-14 academic year: an elevator tower built at the northeast corner of Herman Arts Center off Buchanan Avenue and a ramp along the southwest front of the Keiper Liberal Arts building. Both were built to improve access.

Also, a structure completed in late spring is the Class of 2008 Archway at Klauder Apple Walkway, between Dietz and Meyran halls. The brick columns supporting the arch contain eight bricks, taken from Old Main, that the class chose to represent the College's core values: community, innovation, excellence, leadership, service, loyalty, philanthropy and tradition. In the metal arch is F&M's motto: "Lux et Lex" (Latin for Light and Law).

A plaque on one of the arch's column's reads, in part: "May all who pass through this archway fondly remember their time at Franklin & Marshall."

Greeting students at various locations around campus this year is the latest step in the College's sustainability initiative -- 22 water-bottle filling stations and 16 energy-efficient Dyson Airblade hand dryers.

Franklin & Marshall College's William J. Iannicelli Track at Sponaugle-Williamson Field was resurfaced over the summer. (Photo by Melissa Hess)

Every summer while students are away, the College's Facilities and Operations crew complete a number of improvement projects. This summer's projects included:

· Upgrading the multi-purpose athletic field at Race and Harrisburg avenues, behind New College House (this included grading the field, installing new drainage and irrigation systems, and putting down new natural turf)

· Resurfacing the 52,000-square-foot William J. Iannicelli Track at Sponaugle-Williamson Field

· Building a digital photo and wet lab on the second floor of Herman Arts Center

· Resurfacing the eight courts and common areas at Brooks Tennis Center

· Creating and enhancing wetlands and building boardwalks in the 44-acre Spalding Conservancy off Vermont Avenue

· Installing a mobile storage unit in the basement of Mayser Gymnasium to store a variety of athletic equipment

Later this year, as part of the Northwest Gateway project, F&M, in partnership with Lancaster General Health, will start developing the 28 acres east of Dillerville Road and north of Harrisburg Avenue. Over the next 15 months crews will remove the railroad tracks, the iron footbridge and an operations building on the land, which is behind F&M's Alumni Sports & Fitness Center.

Work on the site, once a former scrapyard and abandoned manufacturing plant, will include burying utility lines and finishing the extension that will link Liberty Street to College Avenue. Sidewalks also will be constructed.

The land is being cleared in preparation for the future home of a new stadium and additional athletic fields for F&M.